Obesity and ceramides: The Web of Science and Scopus bibliometric analysis (2004–2025)
Keywords:
obesity, ceramides, bibliometric analysis, lipidomics, insulin resistanceAbstract
Background and aim: Research on ceramides has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, reflecting increasing recognition of their role in obesity-related metabolic disturbances and cardiometabolic risk. However, the structure, dynamics, and global distribution of this research field have not been systematically evaluated. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of human studies investigating the association between obesity and ceramides from 2004 to 2025.
Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using publications retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection databases. Original human research articles published in English between 2004 and 2025 were included. After screening and removal of duplicates, 173 publications were analyzed. Bibliometric indicators included annual publication trends, citation metrics, productive journals, authors, institutions, countries, international collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Analyses and visualizations were performed using Bibliometrix (R), Biblioshiny, and complementary visualization tools.
Results: The 173 included publications originated from 97 sources and demonstrated a mean annual growth rate of 14.76%, with an average of 46.2 citations per document. Scientific output increased substantially after 2015, reaching a peak in 2024. Authorship analysis revealed a highly collaborative research environment, with an average of 10.6 authors per article and frequent international collaborations. Publications were concentrated in high-impact endocrinology and metabolism journals. The United States led in both publication volume and citation impact, while several European and Asia-Pacific countries showed high citation efficiency relative to output. Keyword trend analysis indicated a shift from general lipid metabolism and insulin resistance toward ceramides, lipidomics, and cardiovascular risk in recent years.
Conclusions: Research on obesity and ceramides has evolved into a mature, collaborative, and clinically oriented field with growing translational relevance. The increasing emphasis on lipidomics and cardiometabolic outcomes underscores the potential of ceramides as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in obesity-related disorders
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